Cambridge skipper Morrison out of hospital
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The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Harry Maguire reveals why he has always remained devoted during Man United rollercoaster
There was a certain simplicity to Manchester United 's first bit of business in 2025. They have spent more than £200m in the summer. They are still trying to offload players who want to leave Old Trafford. But there was one who was keen to stay, but given no say in the matter. On 3 January, United triggered the clause to keep Harry Maguire for a further season. It was a symbolic decision and proof of a personal renaissance. Maguire could have joined West Ham in 2023, but showed his stubbornness by fighting for his place. Now a player whose trials and tribulations were capped when he was stripped of the captaincy by former manager Erik ten Hag has been appointed to United's leadership group by Ruben Amorim. And when his extended deal expires next summer, Maguire hinted that, no matter who else may approach him, his preference is United. Not that he was given a choice in January. 'There was no talking,' he said. 'It was just they activated it and it got extended. This year, obviously I'm up at the end of the year. I'm pretty sure the club have made it aware this summer that I can't leave the club on any terms with other clubs enquiring about my things and my position with my contract. 'I'm sure over the next few months they'll sit down and we'll have to have a conversation about where we want to go and if they want to extend or obviously the transfer window will open again in January. I have something in my mind about what I want to do and what I want to be. It's an amazing club to play for and you'd be silly if you wanted to jump out of it as soon as you could.' Yet Maguire could have been forgiven for jumping, in his own words, into somewhere less pressurised, where the spotlight shone less brightly. But, while he accepted things went very wrong for a while, he feels his struggles were more short-lived than his critics would suggest. 'It's been a couple of years now where I feel like I've played really well for this club again,' he said. 'I only had six months really where I had a bad dip of form. The previous two years was excellent. I've been a lot better in the last two-and-a-half years. Now I'm in a good place with the club and the fans. I've got a real good bond with them.' Maguire's dogged devotion to the United cause has been allied with a happy habit of scoring crucial late goals. He has still been much mocked but, he argued, by supporters of other clubs. It puts him in fine company. 'I do believe that a lot of the social media laughing and joking and the memes and things like that are rival fans,' he said. 'It's part and parcel of playing for this club. I'm sure the likes of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney went through [it] and they are world-class players. Wayne's one of the best players to play for England and this club and he had so much abuse. So you're going to get it.' Maguire has arguably got it more than most. He can seem an easy scapegoat but said: 'I've always been quite good at handling criticism. It doesn't really get to me or bother me too much. I've been mentally strong throughout it all.' Now he is trying to offer his advice to United's younger players. Their worst season for half a century culminated in a 15th-place finish; more ammunition for the abusive. 'I'm sure they'd have been getting slaughtered left, right and centre, if I'm being honest,' Maguire said. 'I hope they don't go on and read the comments when they've made a mistake or made a bad game or read the direct messages or whatever they are on Instagram.' A reason for Maguire's popularity within the club is his willingness to set the right example. He visited the Manchester United Foundation's holiday camp at Stretford Sports Village this week. The sign of a leader, perhaps, and, along with Tom Heaton, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui and Bruno Fernandes, he is in the leadership group. 'I think the manager wanted a group of players that he can speak to instead of piling it all on Bruno all the time,' said Maguire, who can testify to the demands of the captaincy. His day job in defence equips him with a knowledge of forwards and he is excited by the trio United have recruited for a combined £200m, in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko. 'This club demands players who create chances, score goals and that's what it's done throughout its history,' Maguire said. 'You know that in one moment Matheus can score from anywhere or he can produce that little bit of magic or Bryan can score at the back post or he can curl one in and then Benjamin has got great physical attributes and he's quick and he's strong and he's tall.' Maguire didn't make the cut for the first game of the season, starting on the bench for Sunday's defeat to Arsenal. He is quick to stress, however, that he believes he and Matthijs de Ligt can play together and are not just competing for the spot in the middle of the back three. Otherwise, he is enthused by the fresh start the new campaign brings. 'Last season was so tough to play in,' he said. 'The situation that we were in, February, March time, we've got nothing to play for, apart from the Europa League. It was real tough.' The hope for United is that last season represents rock bottom and that they can bounce back up. And if so, Maguire, who has recovered from his personal nadir, may be a fine role model.
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ex-England captain Sarah Hunter ready for World Cup in a ‘different capacity'
Former England captain Sarah Hunter hailed the growth of women's rugby as she prepares to experience a World Cup in a 'different capacity'. The 39-year-old retired from rugby in 2023, finishing her career as England's most capped player with 141 appearances and is now their defence coach. Hunter featured in the 2010 World Cup and, with the competition returning to English soil this year, she expressed her delight at the growth of the game as England prepare for the tournament opener at the Stadium of Light on Friday. 'I'm super excited just to see them go out. They're all ready and like I said, it's been three years in the making since our first camp in Chester,' Hunter said. 'This pre-season they've worked harder than they've ever worked before. 'To see how they've grown as a squad and a collective, it's really exciting for them to be coming now to a home World Cup, first game tomorrow night. 'I think a lot of people ask, do I want to be out there and no, I had my time. 'I'm really happy and content with what's been. I'm now just super proud and privileged that I still get to be on this journey from a different capacity. 'If I can help and support them in one per cent a little bit to contribute to what they can do out there, then that makes me really excited by what's next in my journey. 'Just seeing how the game's grown, I've been lucky enough to play in a home World Cup in 2010 and to see it now, to know that these girls are going to be playing on a bigger stage, it's exactly where the game should be and it's great to see that growth.' As the top-ranked team in the world, the Red Roses enter the World Cup as favourites. For Friday's USA clash, England head coach John Mitchell named an unchanged side from their 40-6 warm-up victory over France, with skipper Zoe Aldcroft leading the squad. Veteran Emily Scarratt, who has 118 caps for England, is named as a replacement and is set to make her fifth World Cup appearance. In 2023, the 35-year-old suffered a neck injury but has since returned to the sport and scrum-half Natasha Hunt was full of praise for her team-mate. 'She's just incredible. The way she conducts herself is incredible,' Hunt said. 'Not a lot of people have spoken about it, but for her to have the injury that she had with her neck and be out for 14 months – something like that – and nobody really knew about it. 'To see her come back, I think she's running around playing some of the best rugby that I've seen in a long time. She seems herself again which is amazing to see. 'She's just brilliant for everyone in the squad. Whether it's for the old girls and she still gives all of us advice, or the youngsters as a calming influence and always knows the right thing to say and the right thing to do in the moment. 'She's someone we all look up to. I'm very fortunate I've managed to live my career with her alongside me.'
The Independent
27 minutes ago
- The Independent
Tottenham remain interested in Savinho after missing out on Eberechi Eze
Tottenham have swiftly moved on to different targets after they missed out on Eberechi Eze and remain interested in the potential signing of Manchester City's Savinho, the PA news agency understands. Spurs were all set to capture Eze after they reached an agreement with Crystal Palace on Wednesday for a £60million plus £7.5m in adds-on deal until Arsenal swooped in to hijack the transfer of the England international. Eze would have filled the creative void at Tottenham left by James Maddison, who is set to miss the rest of the season after he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee earlier this month, but Thomas Frank must now shift focus elsewhere. Talks were opened between Spurs and Manchester City on August 11 regarding the versatile Savinho, who made 48 appearances and produced 13 assists in his debut campaign at Etihad Stadium. While dialogue cooled as Tottenham explored a big-money move for Eze over the past week, Savinho is still a target for the north London club, PA understands, and reports in Brazil suggest an 80million euros (£69.2m) bid is being prepared. Frank has enjoyed a strong start to life at Spurs, with an impressive Super Cup display in defeat to Paris St Germain followed by a 3-0 victory over Burnley last Saturday but next month will bring the challenge of Champions League football. With Maddison out long-term and Dejan Kulusevski (knee) sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Danish coach is in need of attacking reinforcements and talks over Savinho could soon accelerate, especially after Saturday's trip to Man City.
